Council Required To Appoint Charter Panel

April 22, 1998|By AL LARA; Courant Staff Writer

BERLIN — Although council members question the need, they will have to appoint a charter revision commission on May 5.

A petition with the names of more than 1,400 residents asking for a panel to take another look at the town's most recent charter was certified Tuesday night by Town Clerk Joanne G. Ward, who also wrote a letter announcing the certification to the town council.

The petition exceeded the 10 percent of residents needed to force the council to appoint a commission, Ward said.

``Hopefully, we'll get the changes we're looking for,'' said Pat Spring, president of Taxpayers for Berlin, the residents' group that collected the signatures.

Some council members, including Republican Mayor Linda Olson, say not enough time has passed to test the new charter. It was about 3 1/2 years ago that voters jettisoned the former mayor/executive board form of government. The vote also eliminated the finance board.

Members of Taxpayers for Berlin began collecting signatures for the petition on Feb. 17, Spring said. The taxpayers' group has long been opposed to the current manager/council form of government and other provisions of the current charter. The group was formed soon after the charter referendum was approved by voters in November 1994. They submitted their first petition challenging the charter the following January.

Members of Taxpayers for Berlin cite fighting within the council over the past several months as an indication that the revised system is not working, Spring said. Other proposed changes include establishing more time for the town's budget process and reducing the number of candidates participating in council elections.

At its May 5 meeting, the council will vote on the size of the commission and make appointments. The panel can have between five and nine members and must have minority representation, Ward said.

The commission will review the charter and come back to the council with any recommended changes. If approved by the council, those changes could be on voting ballots in November.